If a priest accepts the Neocatechumenal Way in his parish, I'm sure the priest is aware that he will be putting in more work than he usually does. These are some of the things that a Neocatechumenal priest does:
- In addition to celebrating the regular Mass, he also has to celebrate the Mass of the Neocatechumenal Way, which takes approximately two hours.
- The priest may also celebrate the Word on either Tuesday or Wednesday with the community.
- In addition to the Easter Vigil in the regular parish, the priest would also have an Easter Vigil in the Way, which usually lasts about six or seven hours long.
- The priest would also do missionary work by going in two by twos.
- The priest will also have a monthly convivience with his community.
- The priest would also have reconciliation with his community four times in a year in addition to reconciliation in the parish.
So, yes, the RMS priest has his work cut out for him. Therefore, is it not possible that the real reason some priests and bishops are against having the Neocatechumenal Way in their parish is because it entails more work for them? In my last post, I quoted Father Dougherty who stated that Protestant churches are more open than Catholic Churches. Protestant pastors were more willing to visit people in their homes than Catholic priests. In the last World Youth Day, Pope Francis criticized the Brazilian church leaders for the mass exodus of Catholic members in their Church, but this problem is not found only in Brazil. It is found also in the United States, many Latin American countries, and in Europe.
We know for a fact that the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons have been going door to door evangelizing. When was the last time you've had a Catholic knocking on your door to spread the Good News? I can tell you that I've had many Jehovah Witnesses knocking on my doorsteps and not one single Catholic ever came by.
Are Catholic priests not supposed to get out of their parish church and go out into the village, getting to know their people in the village? Are they not supposed to go on missionary work in two by twos? Why is it that the Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and Pentecostals are doing what Catholics have been called to do by Christ more than 2000 years ago? Were the priests and bishops not commanded by God to go out and baptize the nation, and not wait for the nation to come to them for baptism? Are they not there to serve God and His Church?
On the other hand, I have seen how happy and contented the RMS priests of the Neocatechumenal Way are. They don't find themselves alone. The priests who celebrates with a community finds himself strengthen in his vocation to continually serve his parish. A priest is married to the Church, and through the community, he has come to know his Church members very well. He grows with them spiritually as he serves them.
So Diana, are you saying that the clergies not walking in the WAY are not doing their jobs? Girl, you better think twice before you start making accusations, what you wrote will definitely cause problems!
ReplyDeleteSit tight , for you are in for a surprise!
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteI'm simply agreeing with Father Edward Dougherty,when he said that most of the Catholic clergy prefer to stay in the parish rather than visit the people. And I'm also agreeing with Pope Francis when he claimed that perhaps the Catholic leaders are too distant and too cold when it comes to the needs of the people.
Like Jim Nabors would say in the TV series Gomer Pyle... SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!
DeleteSo you agree with Pope Francis when he says that Bishops and Archbishops should stay home and quit being "Airport Bishops or Archbishops!"
DeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteI said that I agree with Pope Francis when he claimed that most of the Catholic leaders are either too distant or too cold when it comes to the needs of the people. I also agree with the Pope when he declared that Catholics (including the priests) should start preaching in the public squares or streets rather than in their parish. When the Pope made that announcement, the Neocatechumenal Way and the RMS priests went out into the public and preached the Good News.
When was the last time a Catholic ever came knocking at your door? In the past, I've had more Jehovah Witnesses proclaiming God's word at my doorsteps.
Diana answer the question about Archbishop,Apuron being an airport bishop?
DeleteSURPRISE!
DeleteREAD!
ReplyDeletePope Francis: "Avoid The Scandal of Being Airport Bishops'"
Pontiff Addresses Newly Appointed Bishops During Audience
Vatican City, September 19, 2013 (Zenit.org) Junno Arocho Esteves | 3273 hits
The Holy Father met today with newly appointed bishops participating in a congress organized by the Congregation for Bishops and the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.
Quote the words of St. Peter in his first letter, the Holy Father called on the new bishop to “tend to the flock of God that is in your charge.”
“May these words of St. Peter be carved in the heart! We are called and made Shepherds not by ourselves, but by the Lord, and not to serve ourselves, but rather to serve the flock entrusted to our care, to serve to the extent of offering our lives, like Christ, the Good Shepherd,” the Pope said.
In order to tend to one’s flock, Pope Francis referred to three fundamental thoughts, the first one being the importance of welcoming with generosity.
“Your heart must be large enough to be able to welcome all the men and women you meet during your days and whom you will seek out as you walk your parishes and your communities”. The Pope stressed the importance of manifesting to others the love of God so that they may see the Church as a “good mother who always receives them and loves them.”
The second thought the Holy Father explained was to “walk with the flock”, or rather “walking alongside the faithful and all those who turn to you, sharing joys and hopes, difficulties and sufferings.” Pope Francis reminded the bishops not to forget their priests who assist in tending to the flock.
The Holy Father also took the opportunity to warn them to not fall into the snare of careerism.
“We shepherds are not men with the psychology of princes – ambitious men, who espouse this Church while awaiting another, more beautiful and richer. But this is a scandal! Imagine that a man confesses, saying, 'I am married and I live with my wife, but I continually look at a woman who is more beautiful than her; is this a sin, Father?' The Gospel tells us that this is the sin of adultery. Is there such thing as 'spiritual adultery'? I don't know, think about it yourselves. Do not await another more beautiful, more important, richer Church. Do not fall into the trap of careerism! It is a form of cancer!”
The third element necessary to tend to one’s flock, he continued, is to remain with the flock, that is, to remain in one’s diocese without seeking any change or promotion. The Pope called on the new bishops to avoid being far from their diocese, and if they do leave, to do so for the shortest possible amount of time.
“Espouse your community, be profoundly bonded to it!,” the Pope said concluding his address. “I beg you, please, to stay among your people. Avoid the scandal of being 'airport bishops'!”
(September 19, 2013) © Innovative Media Inc.
Comment on this article
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteDoes my post speak about being an "airport bishop?" In my post, I asked if it was the duty of Catholic priests to go out into the villages to meet the people......how is it that you interpret "village" to mean "airport"????
He does not know who his parishioners are he is too busy flying!
DeleteThe Archbishop IS THE PASTOR of the Cathedral-Basilica. Does he know who his parishioners are? Does he go visit the parishioners of Agana?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteActually, the Archbishop oversees all the Catholic Churches on Guam. As far as I know, he has visited Catholic schools and parishes on Guam.
Don't change the subject. Does he know his Agana Parishioners because he is the Pastor? You talk about pastors of villages not connecting with the people of the village. Does the Archbishop connect with the Agana villagers?
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteI cannot answer for the Archbishop because I'm not the Archbishop. Only he can answer your question. On the other hand, the Archbishop oversees all the Catholic Churches on Guam. He does his duty as an Archbishop because he does make annual visits to the Catholic schools and to each Parish.
Village-Pastor-visitation is your theme! Archbishop-Pastor-Village of Agana Parish! You just ate your words!
DeleteYou spoke of priests in the parish villages...don't try to make excuses. You wrote on priest knowing who are in the parish. The people in the parish make up the PARISH COMMUNITY. the NCW is a different story. Many people who make up a community come from different parishes. One may be from Mangilao and belongs to the NCW community of Asan.
DeleteThere is a difference when you speak of priests not knowing who is in their parish communities and not connecting with them and the communities of the NCW.
You attacked the priests not walking by comparing them to the RMS priests. The Archbishop walks the WAY, but he doesn't seem to connect with the parishioners of the village of Agana. He doesn't even stand outside the church after Sunday masses to greet the people!
In other words the Archbishop knows only those in NCW communities of Agana, I doubt it. Different communities, different presbyters! You see Diana, I live in Agana. I am a registered parishioner of Agana and my PASTOR never came knocking at my door!
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteThat is only your opinion. Only the Archbishop himself knows. Do you even know how many people in the Agana NCW communities are actually from Agana?
Of course, you don't see any Catholic priest knocking on your door. That's my whole point. As I said, I get more Jehovah Witnesses knocking at my door. I also don't get any Catholics coming to my door. However, the NCW is changing that. They are going out in two by twos knocking on people's door. As to why they haven't come to your door especially since you live in Agana....who knows???? Maybe the Archbishop already knows you and respects your traditional Catholic belief rather than bother you with the NCW.
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteAnd exactly how did I eat my words? I know for a fact that the Archbishop has a community of his own in Agana. I'm pretty sure he knows the Agana Parish through the communities in Agana, and if I'm not mistaken, there are about 8 communities in Agana.
As I said in my post, a priest who is involved in a community would personally know the members of his community very well. And it's the community who strengthens the priest in his vocation. Does the Archbishop know people of Agana who do not walk in the Way? It's possible that he does. Why? Because members of the Way also have relatives who don't walk in the Way, and the Archbishop can know of those people through his communities. However, the Archbishop is really the one to answer your question. If he can do his duty as an Archbishop, visiting Catholic schools and parishes, then he knows his parishioners through the Neocatechumenal Way in Agana.
Diana, you just can't seem to see things happening outside your little box. Some RMS priest don't do a very good job. I won't go into that. That is between them and God!
DeleteDear Anonymous,
DeleteI see a lot of good things that the RMS priests are doing. One of those things is missionary work, which the Catholic Church has been lacking for so long. This is why Pope Francis called on all Catholics to go out into the streets and preach the Gospel. The Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons have been doing what the Catholic Church should have been doing.
Your perception of the RMS is overrated. You continue to change the subjects of Pastor-Parish-connecting with the villagers. So the pastors are just in tuned with those in the NCW communities, and the rest of the parishioners not in the way are not important. You yourself said that the NCW is not for anyone. This does not mean that only those walking will be recognized by the pastor.
DeleteIf the Archbishop as the pastor of the Agana parish wants to know who are his parishioners he can go door to door. The NVW communities do no make up,the entire parish community. Like you said, the pastors should know his parishioners. This includes the entire parish not just those walking the way.
End of discussion.
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteI do know that the RMS priests go outside their parish because I've seen it. I am not from the Agana Community, but as you can see from my latest post, even the RMS priests were outside preaching at the Great Mission last year. The photo is from the Agana community's Great Mission that I found on the Internet.
When the Pope called for all Catholics to go out into the public squares or streets and annnounce the Good News, one would see the NCW and the RMS priests doing it.
SURPRISE!
ReplyDeleteThe Archbishop and the RMS priest have went out door to door to reach out to Parishioners in Agana. I've seen it with my two eyes. Reaching out to the lonely and the sick. Many people were surprise that he visited the Agana Parishioner. Again Anonymous don't speculate so much because hate in your heart toward the Archbishop will destroy you. Venom have entered your vein and there is no cure but you carry on the vomit of Jungle Watch.
ReplyDeleteParishioner of Cathedral
And there you have it. There is someone from the parish of Agana who has seen the Archbishop go out in two by twos. I am not from the community or parish of Agana, but I have seen our community priest go out on two by twos into the villages.. If this is the practice of the RMS priest, then I can conclude that almost all RMS priest and seminarians have gone out on two by twos into the villages.
DeleteAll RMS Priest do visit villages. Many sufferings that I have witness that people go thru.... The church visited and given hope to their suffering.
ReplyDelete